Some questions about installing minix on a low-end laptop - Minix

This is a discussion on Some questions about installing minix on a low-end laptop - Minix ; I have a Dell Inspiron 1000 that just kind of sits there and is
currently running xubuntu, but I would like to install Minix on it.
The first question I have is whether or not you need to partition the
...

Some questions about installing minix on a low-end laptop

I have a Dell Inspiron 1000 that just kind of sits there and is
currently running xubuntu, but I would like to install Minix on it.

The first question I have is whether or not you need to partition the
hard drive, I curently don't have the hard drive partitioned and am
wondering if I could just wipe it and install Minix on strait away?

I was also wondering what the easiest mode of installation is, my CD-R/
DVD drive has been having troubles: DVD no longer work and CD only
work some of the time. My computer does have the ability to boot from
a usb drive. So I was wondering which way is recommended / easiest /
possible? (The Minix 3 website is kind of unclear on this, it says on
the download page that you can install from a usb drive but on the
installation page that you can't.)

Re: Some questions about installing minix on a low-end laptop

> The first question I have is whether or not you need to partition the
> hard drive, I curently don't have the hard drive partitioned and am
> wondering if I could just wipe it and install Minix on strait away?

The Minix setup program allows you to partition your disk. If you
install Minix on your hard disk, it has to be on a primary partition;
you can either create it using this tool or create it in advance.
> I was also wondering what the easiest mode of installation is, my
> CD-R/ DVD drive has been having troubles: DVD no longer work and CD
> only work some of the time. My computer does have the ability to boot
> from a usb drive. So I was wondering which way is recommended /
> easiest / possible? (The Minix 3 website is kind of unclear on this,
> it says on the download page that you can install from a usb drive
> but on the installation page that you can't.)

I never tried it, but I think the situation is like this: Minix does
not support USB, so you can access USB sticks only if the BIOS handles
them. As a result you should be able to access USB sticks if you boot
from them, but only in that specific case.

--
With kind regards,
Erik van der Kouwe

Re: Some questions about installing minix on a low-end laptop

On Jul 28, 5:59*pm, "Erik van der Kouwe" few.vu.nl>
wrote:
> > The first question I have is whether or not you need to partition the
> > hard drive, I curently don't have the hard drive partitioned and am
> > wondering if I could just wipe it and install Minix on strait away?
>
> The Minix setup program allows you to partition your disk. If you
> install Minix on your hard disk, it has to be on a primary partition;
> you can either create it using this tool or create it in advance.
>
> > I was also wondering what the easiest mode of installation is, my
> > CD-R/ DVD drive has been having troubles: DVD no longer work and CD
> > only work some of the time. My computer does have the ability to boot
> > from a usb drive. So I was wondering which way is recommended /
> > easiest / possible? (The Minix 3 website is kind of unclear on this,
> > it says on the download page that you can install from a usb drive
> > but on the installation page that you can't.)
>
> I never tried it, but I think the situation is like this: Minix does
> not support USB, so you can access USB sticks only if the BIOS handles
> them. As a result you should be able to access USB sticks if you boot
> from them, but only in that specific case.
>
> --
> With kind regards,
> Erik van der Kouwe

Ok, thanks! I've installed Minix and now have some more questions...
(I ended up doing it with the CD.)

I get a grub error 17 every time I startup booting to the hard drive
(I can get around this by booting to the CD and then logging out and
loging into the hard drive but that is a little bit troublesome).

Another question I have is how do I use the GUI? I've figured out how
to run it and it seems to be running fine but I can't figure out how
to do anything with it (or how to get out of it).

Re: Some questions about installing minix on a low-end laptop

> Ok, thanks! I've installed Minix and now have some more questions...
> (I ended up doing it with the CD.)
>
> I get a grub error 17 every time I startup booting to the hard drive
> (I can get around this by booting to the CD and then logging out and
> loging into the hard drive but that is a little bit troublesome).

This error is returned if the partition requested exists, but the
filesystem type cannot be recognized by GRUB.

Be sure to check your root(x,y) settings in your grub.conf.

Also, if you are trying to boot Windows, make sure that your grub.conf
file has the root (hdX,Y) (or rootnoverify (hdX,Y)) and chainloader
(hdX,Y)+1 in it.

AFAIK GRUB has a special case for Linux, which it can boot directly if
it can read the filesystem. For MINIX it should simply start from the
boot sector on the Minix partition, like in Windows. I suggest you
change your config file as if you were booting Windows from your Minix
partition.
> Another question I have is how do I use the GUI? I've figured out how
> to run it and it seems to be running fine but I can't figure out how
> to do anything with it (or how to get out of it).

Are you running "xdm" or something else? "xdm" should work fine if you
have enough memory.

Maybe the X log file will provide more info on what went wrong (don't
know by heart were exactly to find it though). Probably memory ran out
somewhere, in which case you have to chmem some executable.

--
With kind regards,
Erik van der Kouwe

Re: Some questions about installing minix on a low-end laptop

On Jul 29, 2:38*pm, "Erik van der Kouwe" few.vu.nl>
wrote:
> > Another question I have is how do I use the GUI? I've figured out how
> > to run it and it seems to be running fine but I can't figure out how
> > to do anything with it (or how to get out of it).
>
> Are you running "xdm" or something else? "xdm" should work fine if you
> have enough memory.
>
> Maybe the X log file will provide more info on what went wrong (don't
> know by heart were exactly to find it though). Probably memory ran out
> somewhere, in which case you have to chmem some executable.
>
> --
> With kind regards,
> Erik van der Kouwe

when I type in xdm and hit enter a login screen comes up and I can log
in and move the mouse around and stuff but I can't figure out how to
run programs or anything like that.

Re: Some questions about installing minix on a low-end laptop

> when I type in xdm and hit enter a login screen comes up and I can log
> in and move the mouse around and stuff but I can't figure out how to
> run programs or anything like that.

When you log on, two xterm windows are opened. These allow you to run
programs. There aren't all that many useful X programs ported to Minix,
but you can check out /usr/X11R6/bin for default stuff like xterm and
xeyes.

Note that in twm, the default window manager on Minix, keyboard focus
is determined by the location of the mouse cursor.

--
With kind regards,
Erik van der Kouwe

Re: Some questions about installing minix on a low-end laptop

"fishfin" wrote ...
>
> Another question I have is, how do I use the GUI? I've figured out how
> to run it, and it seems to be running fine; but, I can't figure out how
> to do anything with it (or, how to get out of it).

Don't use "xdm" to run X Window. Use the "startx" command instead. Then,
you will be able to get out of X Window.